1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to the field of tool holders and, more particularly, to the area of holders for blow-dryers that retain blow-dryers in both operating and non-operating states.
2. Description of Related Art
Early hair dryers were large fixed appliances having a dome shaped hood under which a user would place their head. These devices, however, were cumbersome and could not be easily moved. In an attempt to provide mobility, manufacturers devised “portable” hair dryers. These, although movable, were still bulky and difficult to transport. More recently, handheld hair dryers (“blow-dryers”) were introduced.
Blow-dryers are much smaller, easier to pack and carry and are commercially available in an assortment of sizes, strengths, and types. These devices are electrically driven and provide electrical heaters for heating air drawn in through an intake, over heating coils, and then directed through an exhaust nozzle. Typical units are gun-shaped providing a handle which allows one to hold the dryer and direct its air flow at the hair. Thereby a user may dry and style her hair.
Typically, a blow-dryer is held in one hand while the other hand is used to style the hair with a brush or other styling instrument. However, since one hand must be used to hold the blow-dryer, a user only has one hand available to style their hair. Sometimes a user needs both of her hands to style her hair. As recommended by manufacturers, this involves turning the blow-dryer off, setting it down on a countertop, styling the hair, and then turning the blow-dryer back on to finish styling the hair. The blow-dryer should be turned off because if the blow-dryer is set on a countertop while operating, the air intake has a much greater time collecting enough air to pass over the electric heaters and the blow-dryer could overheat, cause a fire, and creates a hazard in that it may fall into a sink containing water. Also, the hot air blown out of the exhaust nozzle may burn the countertop or material on the countertop.
Often it is difficult to turn the blow-dryer back on while keeping the hair styled in the desired position to be blow dried. Users frequently need both hands free to style their hair. Turning the blow-dryer on and off is a step most users do not like to do and therefor will often fail to turn off the blow-dryer.
While other blow-dryer stands have been developed, their usage has not become part of the typical household. First, other blow-dryer stands are cumbersome and bulky and designed to hold a blow-dryer in a fixed position. Fixed position holders negate the “handheld” aspect and convenience of a handheld blow-dryer. Other stands interfere with the continuous process of blow drying hair in that the blow-dryer must be non-operational while resting in the stand and/or deny quick and easy access to the blow-dryer handle. Some stands require attachment to a wall or countertop, which causes the loss of valuable wall or countertop space. Additionally, having a stand attached to the countertop is inconvenient as a homeowner is forced to make a relatively permanent change to her home's interior. All the above blow-dryer stands and holders require the user to change her hair drying routine.
When drying hair, many prefer to collect a section of hair in one of their hands or brush and then use and move the other hand holding the blow-dryer over that collected section of hair. When that section is dried, many users will set the blow-dryer upon the countertop and use both hands to collect a new section of hair. For reasons discussed above, this is problematic and dangerous. Prior art stands do not solve this problem without requiring a drastic change in the behavior and habit of the user.
What is needed is a blow-dryer stand that enables the user to leave the blow-dryer on when styling a section of hair. The stand should allow the intake of the blow-dryer to draw in enough air to prevent the blow-dryer from overheating. The stand should also direct the exhaust nozzle away from the countertop so as not to burn the countertop or material on the countertop. It should be durable, relatively inexpensive, and easy to use. Additionally, the stand should not require the user to change substantially her behavior in using the blow-dryer. An improved stand should also be attractive to the consumer so as to encourage display and usage of the stand.